Ferraris at the RunOffs.

So far, so good, though it's still early.

Class T1, where they cripple the 430s. Link to results:

http://www.scca.com/eventresults.aspx?event=15558&hub=1


Hey Peter, we want to rent VIR in a few weeks ... need to talk to you.

 

Tucker is TWO SECONDS faster than Heinricy (no slouch himself)....

sure it's a long lap but still.... wow.

btw, Risi Competizione is sponsoring a Viper?

 

"Tucker is TWO SECONDS faster than Heinricy (no slouch himself)...."


Heinricy was in the 20s in Q1, so .6 or so cumulatively, but still promising.

Buttermore's car is listed as a Ferrari for one of the sessions, and a Viper in the other - have to think, with Risi involved, that it's the former?

 

woops, didn't see Heinricy's Q1 time still, 0.6 is a healthy gap.

yes, I would assume Risi would be involved with a Ferrari not a Dodge

guy in P4 (Jim Lynch) is/was a Hummer dealer from STL, I went to HS with his stepdaughter. cool guy.

 

For a well deserved win for Scott Tucker.

From what I read it sounded like an exciting race - wish I could have seen it.


Stew

 

does Speed still air highlights of each race during the offseason/holidays?

 

Congratulations to Scott Tucker and his support team !!!!!

Scott is an inpiration to some of us. He started his racing career late in the game, not like a-designed-to-be-champion-child-running-karts-in-Europe. He's made it to the top level, LeMans, ALMS, SCCA Club Racing, Rolex 24hr, and much more to come.

Not many people know this, but the F430 got heavily penalized this year by the SCCA in T1 class, they added weight and a big size restrictor to an engine that has not torque, they killed the F430 chances to be competitive, still the F430 took the National Championship. I'm very happy for the win.

Even better, unbeatable and feared John Heinricy was there, and Scott took him down (a little messy accident in the rear of the front pack).

For the records, any Viper and any C6 Vette puts more power to the ground (in T1) than a F430 Challenge, and the gap is even bigger if you put an intake restrictor to your F430.

Tucker's win this year is even stronger than last year one. Now, let's see what the SCCA does, let's add another 500 lbs to the F430 and an even smaller restrictor.

 

"Now, let's see what the SCCA does"



Tear down Tucker's engine?

 

"All respect to Scott and his crew"

Definitely! Great to see a Ferrari win.



"At a minimum, SCCA verifies the restrictors are in place, takes the heads off, measure valves and displacement at a minimum for the top three at each Runoffs race."

Now, Peter, you know as well as I do that there are many ways to play the game.

 

You can’t be serious. You are talking about a car that pulls c6’s on the straight, has no clutch and is a purpose built race car. I have raced in T1 and raced against John H, Ed Z and Scott. Not one of them can out run John with an equal car. Ed would be closer to John than Scott. The 430 does not belong in T1. Scott won the title fair and square not question. If you put John in that 430 I bet he would do 2.16’s at RA. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWNg2wvDPaE

 

"The 430 does not belong in T1. Scott won the title fair and square not question. If you put John in that 430 I bet he would do 2.16’s at RA."



I agree with all of the above.

As an aside, if you stick around, which you probably won't, you will find that some folks here are in love with the concept of "pro," without distinguishing between people who race in pro series, and professional drivers. Others know better.

Also, I've sensed a general aversion to SCCA here, which IMO SCCA has earned. SCCA has done little to encourage or help people with modern factory race cars participate. And I say that as someone who's raced primarily in SCCA for years.

As for the 430C, it's dumbed down in T1 anyway.

I'm trying to get the car into STO, but am making little headway. I really think the car belongs in GT2, and have no idea why it's in the touring classes.

 

A while ago, I submitted a letter to SCCA's rules folks asking whether I could race my 430C in "STO" with 19" rims, rather than 18s; and if that's not acceptable, whether I could race the car in ST as is.

The answer to my questions - 18s or 19s? and ST? was comical:

"Carbon brakes are not within class philosophy."

What?

Very hard for me to argue that owners of cars like the 430C should take SCCA seriously. It's a shame, because they have a national championship with a long history.


A humorous anecdote about SCCA - took the 430C out at Watkins Glen in ST earlier this year, driving slowly to feel out the car. Immediately after a session some guy comes running over, says nothing to me, glares at my engine, studying it. After a minute, he challenges me, angry: "can you show me where this car's restrictor plate is located?" From his tone, I assumed he was a pissed off T1 guy. Told him that I don't have to have a restrictor plate because I'm not in T1, and could feel him deflate. And that, my friends, is SCCA. I probably should stop defending them. I may start a vent about SCCA thread. (edit again - I'm not Clayton or Wade).

 

Put a F430 Challenge on a dyno. Stock they don't touch 400 whp, and torque is down low.

However, I agree that the F430 Challenge should not be in T1, only the street legal F430 and Scuderia should be in T1 (but nobody will show up anyway). The F430 Challenge is the same concept as the Lamborghini Trofeo and Porsche GT3 Cup, GT2 is the class for them.

While at it, why is the 997 GT3 Cup in GT1? that's just absurd, the car belongs in GT2 with some ballast weight to balance it with the 996 GT3 Cup.

 

I agree with you on the 997 100%. What is absurd is saying that the 430 was not competitive. That is just outright false and any racer would say the same. Scott is not even in the same class as John, not even close. Watch that video I posted. Take a look at the other 430 that was in the show. Look at this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-mWm5Emj1A&feature=player_embedded#! look how fast it goes from 60 to 125, unreal. He's up to 125 starting at 60 mph 3/4 of the way down the front straight. The only thing you should be proud of Scott for, is buying the title again. I would do the same if I were in his shoes.

 

"While at it, why is the 997 GT3 Cup in GT1? that's just absurd, the car belongs in GT2 with some ballast weight to balance it with the 996 GT3 Cup."


Placing the 997 in GT1 has assured that virtually no one will race a 997 Cup in SCCA - and with Patron, PCA, PBOC, NASA and others, why bother?

SCCA does not seem to understand that it's competing for cars. You'd think they'd kill to have a race group filled with factory Ferraris, Porsches, etc. I find them to be defensive and arrogant.

At least they're holding on to the old, slow, leaky production cars.

 

I've done many track schools on motorcycles, but an new to tracking cars. Have spent some time at SCCAForums.com to learn -- probably start with spec-miata, then spec boxster or c5z.

As a newbie, I've really enjoyed soaking up posts about T1, there, here, everywhere else.

The vette guys do seem to say the 430 is the "overdog".

But as F430GT posts, dyno a Challenge -- doesn't touch 400hp.

I'm a total n00b, but find all of your posts quite fascinating.

Nice posts. Thanks!

 

That's ridiculous. Obviously the car is still competitive. "penalized" is the wrong word, you mean "equalized". The F430, even a street F430, is way over the top for T1.

C6 vettes only have 400 BHP so they also won't touch 400whp.

Your statement is ridiculous.

(I mean that with all due respect; your posts here are most valuable.)

 

Agreed.

Do folks here know about the "Tucker rule" in ALMS?

 

Don't knock SCCA because of that ... owners of cars likes the 430C definitely should NOT take SCCA seriously. There are scant few classes in SCCA that want folks to spend those kind of dollars. And yes, you do have to actively keep out the big spenders, otherwise the lighter wallets leave when they can't possibly win.

There's plenty of points to be critical of SCCA about, but this shouldn't be one of them.

 

My dad ran in G production in the late 60's and early 70's. It hasn't changed in his eyes. He said the coco cola pants Handle bar mustache guys are still running it. I raced in t1 for three years. It has changed so much since my last runoffs in 06. Most of the talent is gone. Not 2 say those guys can't drive it's just not the same.

 

"And yes, you do have to actively keep out the big spenders, otherwise the lighter wallets leave when they can't possibly win."


The light wallet guys can pick lower cost classes. By the time you get to CSR, DSR, FA, GT1 and GT2, for example, you're probably already spending pretty big dollars anyway. GT2, for example, is full of 996 Cup cars. 430C operating costs aren't any worse than those for Cup Cars, or for a Stohr, for example. Even the tires for a proper GT1 car cost a fortune. I know you know all this.

I think your point - which is interesting, if I'm right - is that SCCA should be reserved for lower cost amateur efforts. That might be a good marketing plan, I don't know, I'm not sure how you execute it. I never hear any marketing plan verbalized. I see more and more "pro" series created, so that everyone can be a pro. Some of those series cannibalize SCCA club racing, as I believe they have in SRF and FE.

As for Tucker, his continued presence in SCCA baffles me, it does look from a distance like big fish/small pond syndrome - but I don't know him. If I were in his shoes, I would not race in SCCA.